Ron's Story
by treehugginhippy
Summary: A story mostly through Ron's point of view... It may get past PG, but I dunno yet!
1. At The Burrow

Ron Weasley climbed up the hill that was behind his house. He remembered the summer of the Quidditch World Cup when Ireland had staged an amazing victory. He sighed and thought of how much had changed over the past 3 years. He was about to enter his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, but this time he wasn't looking forward to returning. Harry and Hermione had become a bit unbearable since they had started going out. Ok, he had to admit to himself that he was a tad jealous after his crush on Hermione that had lasted until the end of the fourth year, but he was so busy with the return of You-Know-Who and Hermione was so passionate about Krum that he soon got over it. But since Christmas, when his two best friends fell for each other, he kept having this heartache inside. Again he sighed and mounted on his Firebolt 5000. At least his family had gotten money, and a lot of it. While studying dragons in Romania, Ron's brother Charlie had come across a lost fortune of wizarding antiques. All of them were extremely valuable and his family could now live quite comfortably, yet they didn't want to move out of The Burrow, their beloved family home. No matter what, they had decided, The Burrow would always be their home. But since Ron had been made a Prefect and Keeper of the Quidditch team (Replacing Oliver Wood when the Quidditch season had started in fifth year), he was now able to gain gifts from his parents. The Firebolt 5000 was top of the line, and something even Draco Malfoy didn't have. In fact, he and Harry were the only ones in the school that owned them.  
  
As the wind soared through his bright red hair, he felt some of his tension release. There was something oddly calming about flying. Probably the feelings of being free like a bird. He swerved around, pretending there was a Quaffle hurtling towards him, and then hit the imaginary Quaffle with the twigs on the end of his broom. If only his twin brothers hadn't moved to Hogsmeade to open up Weasley's Wizards Wheezes. They had been Beaters, and were excellent to practice Quidditch with. But now Ron had to practice it himself, because Percy was wrapt up in his job as Assistant Minister For Magic and Ginny had gone to spend the summer with Bill in Egypt, as she was interested in working for Gringotts when she left Hogwarts. As Ron came to a landing, he watched as a snowy white owl flew overhead towards The Burrow. It looked like Hedwig, Harry's owl. Ron had asked Harry to come and stay for the rest of the holidays (of which there was two weeks left), and he had been awaiting his reply. Ron ran up to the house to see what news Hedwig had brought.  
  
Molly Weasley, a plump red-haired middle-aged witch, met Ron as he came through the kitchen door.  
  
"Harry just sent this for you, dear," she said, obviously curious to know what it said. Ron took the rolled up peace of parchment out of his mother's hand and read it  
  
'Dear Ron, Of course I want to come and stay! The Dursley's are so unbearable! I can't bear to stand another day here! My uncle was so happy to get rid of me that he offered to drive me up to The Burrow on Sunday (tomorrow). I should be there in time for tea. Hermione is well; she and her parents have gone to Australia, as you know. Lucky thing, they have some really good Quidditch teams! But of course, knowing Hermione, she won't go to a game and will prefer to catch up on the history of the magic community there. See you tomorrow, Harry P.S. Hermione and I are Head Boy and Girl. We got told on Wednesday.'  
  
"Well, that's good for Harry and Hermione! Head Boy and Girl!" Mrs Weasley said. Ron jumped, not realising his mother had been reading the note over his shoulder. Not that it would have been easy for her to. She was so short that her eyes were level with Ron's nose. Ron had grown a considerable amount since his first year at Hogwarts, both physically and emotionally.  
  
"Yeah, that's good," said Ron. Again, Harry had been one step better. Ron would remain a normal prefect, and Harry was Head Boy. Just like Harry was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  
  
"Oh, dear, Ron, don't feel so down! Your father and I are so proud of you for being a Prefect! Only you and Percy were Prefects in this family! And you're an excellent Keeper! Harry is Harry. and you are you! We can't help what has happened in the past, and maybe they thought that Harry was the best for the job after all the You-Know Who business? Just don't worry!" Molly Weasley embraced her son. She had been worried about Ron; he seemed down when Harry seemed to gain the better option. If only there was something she could do to help him, but she knew better than to try to help. He would just refuse and say everything was okay.  
  
"Thanks mum, I feel a bit better," Ron said, smiling down at his mother and returning her hug. "I'll go and set up the guest room for Harry." And with that he walked off upstairs. 


	2. Harry Arrives

"Ron!" called Harry as he climbed out of his uncle's car. He ran up to the front door of The Burrow and embraced his friend in a brotherly hug. "Thanks for inviting me, I couldn't stand Dudley for another second. After his first diet failed, he has been put on all these different ones. He just whinges and moans every second!" Ron laughed at this comment, and thought of the time Fred and George had gotten Dudley to eat a Ton-Tongue Toffee. It had been hilarious to think of Dudley's tongue growing to such a tremendous size. Harry had run back to the car to get his trunk and Hedwig's cage from his uncle. Although he had seen the Weasley family every year when he had picked Harry up from Kings Cross, Vernon Dursley had always treated them with great suspicion. He narrowed his eyes at The Burrow, snorted, then got in his car and drove away without even saying goodbye to his nephew. Not that Harry cared, he was used to this sort of treatment. He turned to Ron, shrugged, smiled then followed him into the house.  
  
Fred and George turned up for dinner that night. They usually Apparated from Hogsmeade simply because they were too lazy to cook for themselves, something which they admitted quite readily. Not that Molly Weasley minded. In fact, the more people she had to cook for, the happier she was. Ron sometimes couldn't believe the determination of the twins. Although at first Molly had wanted to stop the joke shop nonsense, they had actually got their shop to be quite successful and were giving Zonko's, the other joke shop in Hogsmeade, quite a run for their money. What had started as a small dream and experiments in their bedroom had turned into one of the best magic joke shops in the country. Also at the dinner table was Arthur Weasley, the father of the family, and Percy, the quite pompous and ambitious brother of the family. He was aspiring to be Minister For Magic.  
  
"So Harry, do tell me what yo plan to do next year?" asked Percy in a superior tone. "I do hope you will try and join the Ministry?"  
  
"Well, I'm not too sure, Percy," replied Harry. "I'd rather play Quidditch professionally. I head that the Chudley Cannons are recruiting young players at the end of the school year."  
  
"That's all well and good Harry, but there is no real future in Quidditch," said Percy, sounding a bit impatient. "Why not be an Auror? Or take up a position in the Department for Magical Games and Sports."  
  
"That's enough, Percy," Mr Weasley said gently. "The Ministry isn't for everyone. Let's just let Harry do what he wants to. Same goes for Ron. They can make their own decisions, and, personally, I'll be quite happy with what they both choose." Mr Weasley smiled over at Harry and Ron. Great, thought Ron. Dad's at it again, treating Harry like he's his son. It seemed at times no one was interested in what Ron would choose as a career. After all, he too wanted to play Quidditch professionally, but he would also like to be an Auror. He thought the possibility of getting to fight the Dark Arts exciting, especially after all that had happened over the years at Hogwarts.  
  
After dinner, Ron and Harry retreated to the peace and quiet of Ron's room. It hadn't changed much from when he first saw it, Harry thought. The orange still burned brightly from the Chudley Cannons bedspread on Ron's bed. The Cannons was the favourite team of both boys. Seven years ago, they had been at the bottom of the league ladder. Now they were on top after they had got rid of the old team and had taken on all new recruits, which included Oliver Wood.  
  
"So how have things really been between you and Hermione?" inquired Ron.  
  
"Yeah, they've been good," said Harry. But there was a hint of scepticism in his voice. Obviously something had happened, and Ron was determined to find out.  
  
"Did you two have a fight or something? Or is Draco still going on about you stealing her away?" It had been a shock to everyone when Hermione and Draco Malfoy got involved with each other. It had lasted two months before Hermione broke it off. It was way before she and Harry hooked up but when they first started going out, Draco had been a bit sore about it, but generally Draco and Harry were on unusually friendly terms nowadays.  
  
"No, no, of course not," said Harry. "As a matter of fact, I heard from Draco a couple of days ago. He wanted to know if he should get us World Cup tickets for next year? We should be able to Apparate by then, so we could go to it, no matter where it's held."  
  
"Yeah tell him it's fine," Ron said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "But stop avoiding the subject. What's happening with Hermione?"  
  
Harry sighed. "She's not really in Australia. I found that out last night. She's in Bulgaria. Krum asked her to come and visit him for the next two weeks. I mean, he knows we're together, but I can just feel it was more than a friendly visit."  
  
Here we go, Ron thought. Harry's being paranoid and jealous again. It was his one downfall when it came to his relationships. "Well, Harry, I guess you need to remember Hermione loves you and that's all there is to it."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Harry said. "I'm going to bed. See you in the morning." Harry got up and left the room.  
  
Ron dressed into his pyjamas and lay in bed thinking. It would serve Harry right if Hermione did do something with Krum, he thought. He needed to realise that he can't have everything his way. But then again, there was always the possibility of Hermione looking bad, so he thought it might not be such a good thing. Harry did get on his nerves a lot lately. Sometimes Ron feared that Harry's head might just explode at times. Sure, Harry couldn't have helped all the business with You-Know-Who, but really, did he have to play up the hero act all the time? Or make his life out to seem really bad? I mean, there are people worse off than him, right? thought Ron. Suddenly, a sharp tap on Ron's window interrupted his thoughts.  
  
Ron got out of bed and opened the window. In flew Winky, Hermione's owl, whom she had named after a house-elf. Ron took the piece of parchment out of her beak and was about to take it to Harry when he realised it wasn't addressed to Harry. It was addressed to him. 


	3. Hermione's Plea

Ron eyed the piece of parchment with great curiosity. Why would Hermione be writing to me? He thought. He unfolded the letter and began to read  
  
i Dear Ron, br I'm in desperate need of help. Harry might have told you already, but in case he hasn't, I'm in Bulgaria. And yes I'm staying with Viktor. We were having fun. until the most terrible thing happened. I don't want to talk write about what it was in the letter, but I need you to come here right away. Don't tell Harry, PLEASE! This will only worry him and I don't need that. I'll explain to him when it's a bit more clearer about what's going on. I'm not in too much trouble. I don't think. Just. I warn you, we might need to get your brother, Percy, involved. But like I said, I can't explain. I just need to see you as soon as you can get here! There is a map of where I am on the back of this letter. It's at the Bulgarian Ministry of Magic.  
  
You're my only chance Ron!  
  
Hermione  
  
P.S. Send an answer back with Winky a.s.a.p./i  
  
Ron had to read the letter at least five times before he could actually believe that something such as this was happening. Hermione in trouble? It couldn't be, especially not as large a scale to possibly get the Assistant Minister for Magic involved, plus the whole Bulgarian Ministry. But like she said, he must obviously be her only hope to help out with whatever was wrong, so he grabbed a quill and some parchment and scribbled a note saying he was on his way, then sent Winky on her way.  
  
Ron tiptoed downstairs and went to the broom cupboard to collect his Firebolt 5000. If only I was old enough to Apparate, he thought. Then I wouldn't have to spend a long time on this broom. He walked back upstairs and threw some spare clothes in his backpack. He grabbed another piece of parchment and thought for a moment about what he should tell his family. It was a hard one to try and cover, especially since his father and Percy might end up finding out about tomorrow. Eventually he just decided to say he was going to London to get money from Gringotts. It seemed believable enough, because he had done this before. He left the note on the kitchen table, kicked aside some gnomes on his way outside and flew off into the night.  
  
Ron's mind kept racing with thoughts of what could have possibly happened to cause Hermione to make that desperate plea for help. Had something happened with Krum? Had she poked too much into the Bulgarian Magic Communities history for their liking? Had she killed someone? Ron gulped and hoped that the last option wasn't the right one. The thought of Hermione killing someone was just beyond his imagination. He sighed as Ottery St Catchpole slowly disappeared from underneath him. This was it. No turning back now. 


End file.
